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Story by
providenceartglass,
Vanessa
Published on June 17, 2009 in Reviews |
Photo by Aaron Gross, a.k.a. AustinArtGlass, from his amazing flickr stream. |
In this Facts and Fancies series, I'll take you on a tour through Etsy's Categories. As we visit these "planets" one by one, we'll talk to sellers and experts and find some extraordinary items on Etsy. (We'll also get some great insider tips along the way.)
In this installment, glass artist Becca Zhukov, pictured at right, guides us through the history of blown glass and some of the techniques found in Etsy's Glass Category. Becca started operating her first studio in 1993 and attended trade shows for about a decade. Her pieces have been shown in the galleries and gift shops of The American Craft Museum, San Francisco MOMA, The Museum of American Folk Art, The Detroit Institute of Art, and many others. She also has a piece in the Renwick Gallery at The Smithsonian Museum and a piece belonging to a permanent collection at the White House. She's now based in Providence, RI and is focusing her work on nature-inspired, sculptural pieces.
Glass through the Ages
Blown glass has been around for centuries, most likely discovered during the Roman Empire around 50 B.C. At the time it was considered a luxury and owned by the wealthiest of patrons. The process evolved primarily for utilitarian reasons and from that, the artistic and creative design and decorative elements evolved.
By the middle ages, Italian glassblowers formed a community on the island of Murano where they were essentially exiled, in part to keep the process a secret, but also to eliminate the possibilities of fires caused by the glassblowers' furnaces. The Italians had specially formulated recipes for glass, color and techniques that are now commonly known and used worldwide.
Murano view by Kevin H. on flickr.
Italian glassblower carrying on the Murano tradition, by godutchbaby on flickr.
By the early 18th century, glass artists had spread throughout Europe and became somewhat industrialized, with their craft being used for utilitarian, artistic and scientific purposes. By the 20th century, glass artists finally became recognized for this wonderful but ancient art form. Artists like Emile Galle, Eugene Rouseau and Maurice Marinot were a few that became well known for their art. Tiffany, one of the most famous glass artists ever, was soon to follow. Today, glass art studios continue to experiment with designs and techniques. The process is now taught in many colleges and craft schools.
Photo from Simon Pearce, a glass company in Vermont that offers tours of its studio. Photo by MemaNH.
But what exactly is glass?
Glass is a super-cooled liquid. Most glass is a mix of silica or sand, created from pulverized sandstone, an alkali to lower the melting point — usually in a form of soda or potash — lime as a stabilizer and cullet (waste glass to assist in melting the mixture).
My supply of colors is pictured on the left here. This color can be laid out on a steel table called the Marver table. I take the molten glass on my steel pipe from the furnace and then roll it onto the color on the table. Once the color is picked up, it is heated into the clear inside the glory hole.
The term crystal, derived from rock crystal, was at first applied to clear, highly refractive glass; it is known worldwide as the highest grade of colorless glass. The optical purity in crystal is usually due to its lead content. A well-known example is Waterford Crystal.
Many people ask me, how do you decorate glass? Methods include cutting, sandblasting, 
etching, enameling, gilding, and painting. Most of these processes are used once the glass has been annealed, or cooled in a kiln overnight. These kilns are similar to kilns used in ceramics, where hot glass is placed and cooled slowly over the next 12 - 24 hours. Once the glass has been cooled, it is safe to add stresses like cutting and sandblasting, without the danger of it shattering.
My photo on the right here shows a diamond grinding wheel, which is used for finishing work after its annealing cycle. There are different grades of grit or diamonds that are used to cut, grind and polish glass. Glass usually comes out of the annealer with a few rough edges that need addressing, most often, the pontil mark, which is where the pipe was attached to the glass.
Glass blower, photo by paladinsf on flickr.
In order for glass to stay molten, it needs to sit in a large furnace that stays at 2100 degrees Farenheit 24 hours a day. That temperature will keep glass the consistency of honey, so that it may be gathered on a steel pipe where one can tool and shape it, as well as expand it as a bubble by blowing through the steel pipe.
The photo at right shows the glory hole, or reheating chamber. Unlike the furnace, which is running at 2200 degrees 24/7, this piece of equipment is used solely for reheating the glass that you are working on, so that you can keep shaping and tooling the hot glass.
Here's a video demonstrating the process of blowing glass.
Glass collectors and shoppers on Etsy 
can find many different types of glass including glassware, paperweight, ornament, suncatcher, vase, bowl, platters, perfume bottles and much, much more. Buyer should not hesitate to contact artists if they have questions about the process. Prices will vary depending on that process.
MossandWillow have some very fun and whimsical pint glasses that they sandblast or etch images on. (Here's a fun how-to if you're interested in learning more about this process!) This is a very affordable set, in part because the glass itself was not blown. Very often pre-made items or recycled vintage items will be embellished with paint or etched.
Below you will see a nice blown glass purple tumbler by infiniteglassworks. All aspects of this glass were handmade, none of it embellished, no molds were used. 
One can find some nice home accessories browsing through the work of tannerglass, who uses her creativity in glass to make wonderful products for the home. These glass magnets are made from nuggets of glass, often called cabochon, where she incorporates Japanese paper in her design. These make wonderful and affordable gifts. 
One can also find glass in a sculptural form on Etsy. spungallery makes these one-of-a-kind altered blown vessels and bowls by spinning out bowls and letting the heat from the glory hole do the rest. The outcome is a beautiful free-form bowl.
Another form of sculpture can be seen in a more figurative sense. Some of the work in my shop, providenceartglass, is sculpted blown glass, such as this birds and nests piece.
scottsummerfield wraps his blown bowls and vases with 24 karat gold leaf, one of the few metals that can be combined with glass successfully. These have such a beautiful luster. The gold is very difficult to use in this sense, as it is very delicate and likes to blow away before you get it on the piece!
Re-used and recycled glass is making a name
for itself on Etsy. Yavaglass uses pre-owned bottles to create fun drinking glasses. These bottles are heated up, picked up on a steel rod and opened up. Technically, there is not any blowing involved. What a wonderful way to show your recycling spirit!
I think it is important for the buyer to know that the items in Etsy shops are represented by the artist. Buyers should check to make sure that the work is signed by the artist. Not all artists sign their work, but they can still inquire if it is made by those representing it. Artists should be as detailed as they can in describing their work, including whether it is part of a line, limited edition or one-of-a-kind. Embellished glass should be listed as such, so that the buyer is properly informed. The seller should also offer cleaning instructions, if applicable, whether products are dishwasher safe, how they plan to ship and refund polices. Always check the seller’s profile for pertinent information.
Further Resources:
Etsy also has many Teams, consisting of groups of glass artists, banding together to serve and conquer. Teams are a great way to meet other like-minded folks and become part of a community of artists in your field. Some well established Glass Teams can be found at…
The Glass Haven at Etsy
Etsy Glass Artists: A Handmade Glass Artist Collective
Places to learn glassblowing:
Stay tuned for more Glass posts in this series coming soon. Learn more about the world of handmade with our Facts and Fancies Reviews, our tours through Etsy's Categories.
Shop the Glass Category
| Tags | art, blown glass, Facts and Fancies, Glass, glass blowing, history, Italy, Murano, Providence, Reviews, REVIEWS, Rhode Island, shopping, video |
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103 comments Login to add your own!
dogties
Glass blowing is fascinating!
So many great items too.
Thanks for sharing
mykonos
ovgilliesdesigns
Great article! Love Murano glass & it's great to see so much talent on Etsy!
foamywader
BluCille
HuntersHideaway
Great article! My boyfriend is a glass blower, it really is so amazing to watch. This is his shop, http://www.corporanglass.etsy.com
He has an awesome You Tube video of his studio as well, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KufgMH...
4TheSparrowsNest
I have the highest respect for glass blowing artists. It takes a tremendous amount of skill and work to create such lovely pieces. I got to witness a glass studio at work at Penland School of Crafts in the mountains of North Carolina. Great article!
satellitedaisy
i am fascinated by the process of glassblowing. thanks so much for showcasing it!
evihan
I missed glass furnace at BEYKOZ...:-( to whom may be interested...
www.glassfurnace.org
ChristinesJewelBox
Love the article and photos to going along with it.... There is nothing better than something that is handmade.
beautifulbridget
SweetwaterGifts
I've always been amazed at the process of glass blowing and could sit and watch for hours!
Thanks for showcasing some of the talented people on Etsy!
SeaFindDesigns
gloilocksandbody
Yay! Dreads + Glass ='s AWESOME! :D
Everything looks beautiful ... Lots of new shops to heart! <3
tannerglass
What a treat to see this! Thanks Rebecca, for providing a great, thorough history of glass, and insight on how we do what we do! (and for the kind words about my work!)
everydayelegant
sucree
ElysianFields
I love Tannerglass's shop. Awesome stuff and great article!
jamieribisi
sevenpeace
EJPcreations
missindie
I LOVE blown glass!! I want to learn how to make blown glass pieces, it would be so much fun!!
bylynnkrestel
wonderful article!! i love blown glass - what an art form!!!
lzubal01
HomeFriedBeads
Great article! Fascinating for a lampworker to see how the big stuff is made. Great links, video and artisans.
wolfartglass
Thanks for promoting glass and including my fluted bud vase in the listing. I was shocked to see my photo of Aaron Gross' spiral wrapped bubble at the top of the page!
cripplecreekglass
Great article, I absolutely love anything glass and applaud all who work with glass. I just have one question what about the lampworkers and pipes on etsy, is it it too taboo? I have never seen a beautiful glass pipe on the front page even though there are many beautiful pieces here.
FairyBubbles
Good read:) I love the photos of work spaces, brings the reader in.
KimVGlass
Watching a glassblower at work is mesmerizing and the resulting pieces are so intriguing. These pieces are gorgeous!! Thank you for sharing these extremely talented glass artists with us!!
sandali
AWESOME -- wonders in work !! What an amazing article with beautiful featured items -- trigger haapy days ;)
michon
HAREandDRUM
I have tremendous respect for mouth blown glass. My town used to have 3 glassworks, one producing mouth blown art glass. We took a field trip there in high school and I was amazed by the skill of those artisans and how a glob of red hot goo turned into filigree structures. Working conditions are not much fun! Hats off!
Vanessa
Before I worked for Etsy, I was working on a project that was a mini-documentary about a Murano glassblower named Fabio. He was kind of a crazy guy. (He did things like blow glass in the traditional Venetian style but then put glass boobs on everything.)
Anyways, just thought I'd share that.
KOALACaddie
Thank you for a wonderful presentation. The video is amazing.
lechatrose
CutieDynamite
basicblack
Great article!! Except for: "The Italians had specially formulated recipes for glass, color and techniques that are now commonly known and used worldwide."
Is this 100% true? I collect Murano glass beads, and IIRC most of the colors are still proprietary, i.e. secret. The chinese mass-producers in particular keep trying to copy Murano glass but are still unable to knock it off (hooray!).
I'd be interested in comment on this! Thanks!!
firedancebeads
Thank you Becca,
I really liked your article on blown glass. I found it informative and entertaining to read. I think a bit more information on Lampwork glass could be useful to those interested in beads and small glass items that are used mostly for decoration and embellishment of the person. I look toward seeing more articles on glass in the future.
Cheers,
PAul
MyJunkyTrunk
WOW! So amazing! I have always admired artists who create with blown glass. Thanks for the article!
JanelDudleyBeads
VIKukA
thebestvintage
MintyFreshFusions
zombuki
The rainbow set is stunning, as are the chili peppers! :3 Great article!!
FascinatingHobbies
hello everybody, very interesting article about glass through the ages.
I was surprised to see a young girl Becca, to blow as its difficult for a women to do such a work !!!!
Venitian glass is wonderfull but don't forget Baccarat, St Louis, Lalique, Daum.... in France
Happy sunny and successful day
ModernNeedlepoint
I blow glass with my husband and frankly do not see why it is thought that glass blowing is any more or less difficult to do if you are a man or a woman....
dbabcock
Amazing work! Takes my breath away! I recently saw the Dale Chihuly garden exhibit and this story helps show how much work went into those pieces. Thank you.
leeski
As basicblack rightly points out, the paragraph -
"The Italians had specially formulated recipes for glass, color and techniques that are now commonly known and used worldwide" is incorrect.
Yes millions of cheap and inferior imitation beads are made, but the glass masters of Murano do not share their secrets.
Many people still do not realise that Murano glass refers to glass made on the island of Murano, that's it. If it wasn't made there then it is not Murano.
Moretti/Effetre glass is Italian yes, but it is not Murano.
There are some hugely talented people here on etsy, it is nice to see some of these works of art here.
BrazanDesign
How amazing! This is one process I am totally blown away by (pardon the pun) and still dying to learn! And what a great surprise to see one of my night lights down at the bottom. Thank you!!! :)
MGMart
Wow, I am always facinated by glass making! I wish I can try it once!! Thank you Vanessa and providenceartglass for the article!
stereoette
we really should have www.urbanglass.org (urban glass in brooklyn, ny) and www.cmog.org (corning museum of glass, in corning, ny) added to that list of places to blow glass.
beccamari
Awesome interview! I had the chance to see glass blown at a local artists studio- it was the best experience! Truly a remarkable thing to watch!
wolfmothercommune
not much else makes me happier than seeing this interview on ProvArtGlass featured here today! fantastic!!!!!
IrinaPhotography
PurpleBears
Beautiful! I love seeing the process of glassblowing. I remember seeing it at Silver Dollar City when I was a little girl, and it looks even more breathtaking today.
recycledwares
great work!! i've always wanted to learn glass blowing, but for now i'll stick with clay, the classes are easier to find.
HansenSoapCo
I love watching glass blowing. So amazing, and somehow totally relaxing.
shasglasscrafts
pickleberries
YAY, glass! infiniteglassworks makes beautiful pieces! I had the honor of being their 1st Etsy customer. :)
Faeriedtreasures
1AEON
that's just crazy! i would love to be able to to something like this!
baconsquarefarm
Great article thanks for sharing, beautiful work everyone~!
papernclay
zeropumpkin
FluteTeacher
I love watching glass being blown! It's like magic. Cool article.
PomLove
This is just so AMAZING! I've always been fascinated by the work & talent that goes into this craft. Thanks for giving us a close up....:)
sleepingdogstudio
fantastic article for the glass dreamer in all of us. it speaks of the passion and talent required to turn silica into magic. thank you oodles! you are the best.
infiniteglassworks
thanks for including me in this absolutely fantastic article! yso well written, you did a great job promoting blown glass.
dollsndogs
Very nice! I used a lot of handmade lampwork glass beads in my work and would dearly love to learn to do my own glass bead work.
moonstr
MichelleProsek
What about cold carving and kiln-working? For techniques you won't find anywhere else in the world, don't forget to check out my glass work too!
BirdAndMoonStudio
ArtDecoDame
etherealgirls
I love BirdAndMoonStudio--which has nothing to do with glass. Feeling a bit random tonight!
steinschmuckdesign
tannerglass
Can I add my 2 cents about this....
"The Italians had specially formulated recipes for glass, color and techniques that are now commonly known and used worldwide"
It's not entirely incorrect. As far as technique, much of what we see from Furnace Glassblowers (the focus of this article) is based on Italian (Murano) techniques. We have been taught (and are still taught) by Italian masters. Lino Tagliopietra, and Pino Signoretto regularly teach their techniques.
Yes, some color recipes are secret....and should remain that way!
Just wanted to clarify a little. Thanks again for a great article!
LilandLota
Beautiful to watch, thank you etsy...Love pics with made glass items also..Lovely
wishartglass
Thank you for such an informative article! Glass is such an alluring medium. Etsy has Glass artists working in a great variety of styles and techniques. There's so much talent here! I'm very happy for Glass to get it's moment to shine!
lovelygifts
TheCraftyRagamuffin
I remember seeing glass being blown for the first time as a very little girl. I was enthralled, and still am! Thanks for sharing.
bijougirldesigns
great article - very fascinating! I love seeing pictures of people doing their craft!
ArtsDesireGlass
Don't forget the Creative Glass Guild of Etsy - cgge.org! Another group of fantastic glass artists on Etsy!
littlepinkpebble
mossyrockpottery
I enjoyed the video and have much appreciation for hot glass. Being a potter, the process intrigues me. It's nice to see some Etsy glass artists making functional glass, rather than only "art" glass.
OSEC
VintageZen
vilte
Riversandco
AdMayDen
need some lung capacity! thanks for sharing! i've been always enchanted with this art!
OneEcoTree
Ooohhh...LOVE blown glass! Great pieces! I love that little perfume bottle! Great topic! Something new & refreshing!!
providenceartglass
Just to clarify.... I LOVE lampworking, torchwork, beadmaking, and kiln work of all kinds but I was asked to just report on glassblowing..... Please stay tuned for the second part of the blog that will cover all of these prior-mentioned glass techniques. It is sooooo nice to see so much wonderful glasswork on Etsy and I am confident that it will ALL be mentioned by the next author writing the second part of this blog! Many thanks for all your kind words and comments. You all rock!!!
Iammie
KatyScudieri
capitalcitycrafts
Thanks for the info- I juts find glass fascinating because I don't do it so the process is very mysterious...
GaelicKnotStudio
Great article and an incredible art. I also love glass and worked in Stained glass for a number of years.
Another place to learn is College For Creative Studies in Detroit, Michigan. I took a glass blowing class there back in the early 70's...WOW. It's something I hope to try my hand at again some day.
rntn
Tina669
shizendesigns
beadweaver
Love it! I'd love to see you also cover glass seed beads - and all the weaving that goes along with it!
twohandsandfire
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